Hugo: Graphic Novel

All five nominees for Best Graphic Novel this year are a bit problematic. All of them (I can say definitely in two cases, almost certainly in two more, probably in the last) are part of series. Much as I love Girl Genius and Schlock Mercenary, I seriously doubt a novice, confronted with either volume, would be able to make head or tail of it. For the other three, I was that novice, and found myself at least slightly confused by all of them. Grandville Mon Amour seemed to stand alone best; unfortunately, the story wasn't all that entertaining (to me, at least), and the in-jokes (e.g., a bulldog named Drummond) seemed pointless. Unwritten: Inside Man seems like it's part of a powerful series, but there were too many pieces missing for me to follow clearly. Fables: Witches was likewise not particularly self-contained, but it came closer than Inside Man, and it was less unrelievedly gloomy (the battle with Baba Yaga was pretty funny), so I think that's the one that will get my vote.

A Tale of Two Sundays

It's Sunday morning; you've just brought in the paper. You notice - never mind how or why - that, though you brought in the Sunday paper last week as well, you did not read that one.

Do you: a) read last week's paper first, in pursuit of chronological order; b) read this week's paper first, on the grounds that the other is certainly not urgent any more; c) toss the old paper into the recycling without reading it; d) wonder how any fool could possibly bring in the paper but forget to read it?

Hugo: Editors

There are two Best Editor Hugos, for short form and long form.

I have absolutely no idea how to evaluate those.

You are allowed to abstain in particular categories, aren't you?